Boleslaw II of Poland

Boleslaw II "The Bold" of Poland (1041-1082) was the King of Poland from 1076 to 1079. He was a pious Catholic, attacking the Holy Roman Empire when they were at odds with the Papal States.

Biography
Boleslaw was the son of Casimir I of Poland, and in 1058 he succeeded his father as the King of Poland, Duke of Mazovia, Pomerania, and Silesia. His brothers Wladyslaw Herman and Mieszko became the governor of the remaining provinces, and Boleslaw took Mieszko's lands upon his death in 1065.

From 1060 to 1063 Boleslaw intervened in Hungary to aid his uncle King Bela I of Hungary against the rebellious nephew Solomon. In 1061, Bela came to power, thanks to Boleslaw's aid. He fought against the Duchy of Bohemia, who were vassals of the Holy Roman Empire, in the present-day Czech Republic. In 1063, however, Boleslaw's army in Hungary supporting King Geza I of Hungary was crushed by Emperor Henry IV of Germany's army, who installed Solomon as the King of Hungary. In 1069, he aided Iziaslav I of Kiev in returning to power in Kievan Rus. In 1073, Boleslaw allied with Pope Gregory VII against the Emperor.

While invadin Hungary in 1079, Boleslaw was overthrown by a coalition of Polish nobles and he was excommunicated for infidelity. He left for Rome to beg for papal forgiveness, and died in the Benedictine Abbey at Ossiach in Carinthia, a mute repentant doing hard work.